Electric weft detector for looms controlled by drop boxes



Dec. 1, 1931. w. H. WAKEFIELD ELECTRIC WEFT DETECTOR FOR LOOMS CONTROLLED BY DROP BOXES Filed April 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l ELECTRIC WEFT DETECTOR FOR LOOMS CONTROLLED BY DROP BOXES Filed April 17, 1931 2 Sheets-Shee 2 Patented Dec. 1,1931

UNITED-V V WALTER H.WAKEFIELD, 0F woEc s'rEE, MAssAcn sE'rrs, assienoaTocEo r'roN-cz KNOWLES LOOM- worms, OF WORCESTER, mAssAcHnsE-m'rs, A. CORPORATION OF 7 MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC WEF'I DETEcroEEon LooMs-con'rRoLL D Bit n30? BoxEs Application filed A ril 17;

and it is the general object of the invention to select one of a plurality of circuits which shall be closable by means dependent upon movement of the boxes as they shift toward active or picking position.

In certain classes of looms a pair of drop boxes are employed together with two shuttles which are ordinarily provided with the same general kind of-filling, each shuttle being in action for but two picks, after which the other becomes active for two picks only, the cycle of movements of the boxes requir ing four picks. When a weft detector is provided for each of the boxes it is possible for both of these mechanisms to indicate weft exhaustion on the same detecting beat of the loom, with the result that the detector of the shuttle moving out of action can give an indication. It is necessary under these conditions to prevent the detector corresponding to the idle shuttle from giving an indication, and it is equally desirable to permit the other detector to control the loom. Ac-

cordingly, it is an important object of my present invention to provide a pair of electrical-circuits each excitable by one of the de tectors when weft exhaustion; exists in its ment of the boxes so that'the detectors may be free to return to normal position. By reason of the latter provision the detector of the idle shuttle will be in non-indicating position.

WVith these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the'combinati'on and ar- 1'931. Serial. it)? 530,911

rangem'ent of hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings," wherein a convenient embodimentof my invention is set Fig. I is an end; elevation of a portion of a loomhavin'g-my invention applied thereto,

the shuttles and boxes being in section, Fig. 2 is an enlargement of a portion of Fig; 1, t'he'shuttle boxes in both of these figures being shown as moved-approximately one-halfthe amount of the box shift,

' Fig; 3 isa top plan view taken in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2,

Fig; is a detail vertic'al 'section on line i -4 Fig.- 3, I

Fig 5 is a: top plan View of one of the retainers or selectors" on an enlarged scale,

Fig. dis vertical section on line 6 6 of l F 1g. 0, Fig.

'7 is an enlarged end elevation of one of the selectors looking in the direction of arrow 7 Fig; 5,

Fig. 8"iis a diagrammatic view showing the circuits which are controlled by the detectors; and

Figsr 9', 10 and 11' aredlagrammatic views showing the parts in different positions,

Referringto Fig. 1,-Ihave shown a loom frame 10 havin ga lay 11 on which are mounted up-per and lower shuttle boxes lQ and 13, respectively. The boxes are mounted on a litter rodql l; which-is operatively connected at the l'ower end thereof to a box lever 15. The latter derives"-'movement from'any' of the well-knownmeains formov'ing box levers, and I set-forth hereinis intended to have a. fourpicl; cycle so as to hold'the boxes first in raised position for two successive picks, and then inldownpositioir for the next two successive picks. Upper and lower shuttles S and S, respectively, are alternately positioned actively with respect to the race 16 of the lay,

'te'ris' formed withupper and lower platform's V QS'and 24', respectively, on which are mount? with weft supplies or bobbins B and 13, re-

spectively.

Each of the detector mechanisms comprise a bed 30 and a cap 31 which are held in position by a bolt passing through the corresponding platfo m. A compression spring 33 lies between the bed and cap, the forward end of the spring bearing against the bed while the rear part bears against a detector 34-. 'lhelatter is pivotally connected as at to a slide 36 earward movement of which is limited by an offset 37 which engages the t-eeler cap. The upper lceler 25 has a rear- "ardly extending yarn engaging detector arm 38 while the lower detector has a corresponding arm 39, these arms being pivoted on their corresponding slides and act-edupon' by the springs to be held in detecting position. The arm 38 is provided with a forwardly extending linger 40, while the lower arm has a similar linger l-l. Each slide 36 has a stop 42 which limits angular movement'of the detector armsand fingers about their pivots.

The matter thus far described, except for the form of the fingers 40, torms no part of my present invention, the detectors being of the general type shown in patent to Payne No. 1,738,198 and the detectors and boxes moving in the usual manner.

Because of the tact that each detector can have a side slipping movement on the forward beat of the lay when the shuttles are located at the box end 0" the loom, it is to he understood that the detector corresponding to the shuttle which is moving out of action can give an indicationot weft exhaustion it this condition exists. ltis desirable, however, not to use an indication unless it is in connection with the shuttle which is moving into action. My invention relates more particularly to a means for preventing the detector correspondingto the shuttle moving out of action from controlling the loom, an." also for insuring that a shuttle which moves toward active position will he in control ot the loom.

It is to be understood that the type of detector set forth herein has a side slipping movement due to forward movement of the lay, and the sliding is completed when the lay reaches its extreme forward position. At this time when weft is absent the'detectors will he in the dotted. line position shown in D ig. 3, t icfingers 4.0 or L1 being spaced from ly at 50, may be mounted about a horizontal axis 51 parallel to the lay and shuttles. This 1X13 1S calrled my support 52 which is pro vided with a holding toot 53 bolted to the guide frame 21 by bolt The foot 58 and bolt 54- permit a llL ited amount adjustment of the pivot in a direction parallel to the lay. A yieldin plunger lock 55 has a head 56 with bevelled faces 57 held in contact with similarly inclined surta formed on a retainer and contact carrier 59 by means of compression spring 60. The latter is interposed between the head and a guide 61 on the support Jtect oi the head 56.is to hold the member 59 yieldingly in the position shown in Fig. 2.

The 'etainer part ollmayhe for (l tohave upper and lower arms 2 and 63, resp ctivcly, defining between them a slot M. The upper arm may he n-ovid d. with a vertical. post 62* to which is secured contact 36 which does not extend. around the'entire post but is located on that part or the latter opposite the teeler beds. The contact is held in place by a screw 6? threaded vertically into the post tohold the contact in fixed position, and binding screw 68 may hold an upper wire 69 in electrical contact with the mor )i (it.

In similar manner the lower f i provided-with a post ?0 to which is secured a contact plate Tlhcld. to the post by me ns of screw 79'. A binding screw 73 ovides connection for a lower wire 74. Both oi these contacts terminate preferably at the horizontal edges and sides of the slot (34.

T s of the contacts Gt d 71 itr m an important part of my present inventon and are determined by the amount of vertical move-mentot the detectors. As shown in full lines in 2. the ho..es and detectors are at an; intermediate position, preterahlv with the boxes halt sin cd. It is der rahle that each (lOLQCliOl"Sl1tl.l he tree to return to the normal tull line position shown in Fi 3 after the boxes have completed their shi ing mOVOD'lQHt, whether the latter be up or down.

l LSSU'JiIlSI the. exhausted so l to the dotted lne position shown in Fig. when the lay infits forward position and the boxes appro" nately halt shifted. a dcscripl'ion the operas on of the parts w'l be given in connection with Figs 2, 9, u and 11. Fig. 9 indicates the bones down and lay moving forwardly ii atter honing the top shuttle As er rod ris and the lay continues to move dly, the detec'tors will both engage iobbins and start to moveangularly, oei in the position su estecl by Fig. 10 with the lay still t thewot 'ihoth shuttles is hoth d swine .cctors wi l:

behind front center, Thebottomfeeler is still below contact 71, while the upper de- .tector will move to engage insulated post As the lay moves to its front position shownin Fig. 2,theupper detector will rise above the post, and thejlo-wer detector still below contact Tl will swing-to the dotted line positionshown in lli 3. This positioi e lower-finger'll beyond the contact"? 1 with respect to the corresponding bed and. cap,as suggested in Fig. 3. In .other words, when the lay is in front center the post 7O nd con tact 71 will lie betweentho arm el and the corresponding bed 30. I v

Continued upward movement of the boxes while the detectors are ll nioved tortheir extremeangularposition will effect contact between jarm ll and contact 171. .As the lay moves rearwardly, the bottom feeler' will leave-its bobbin and the corresponding spring will move finger. 4-1- against contact 71.

This contact will be preserved throughout the ma] or part of theremaincer of the shift ing movement of the boxes, but as the latter approach a condition of rest with respect J- L V the dObQCtOlS do not begin to have their anguthelay in upper position the arm 41' will move overthe contact 71, to the position shownin Fig. 11. .As the lower detector rises above the contact 71 the spring 33 of the lower feeler will swing 39 and finger 4-1 back-to normal position. The arm 41 co-mes to rest in alignment with slot (ta-between the contacts 66 and 71 with the boxes fully raised and with the lower boxand its shuttle in active position with respect to the lav race 16. This shuttle will therefore be picltedto the opposite side of the loom where replenishment or loom stoppagemay be effected.

. Fig. 8 shows circuits by means of which indication may be made to control the loom. When contact isestablished between the lower arm 41 and its contact 71, thefol-lowingcircuit is completed: ground G,i arm 41. contact 7l, wire 74;, wire 80, source of electric power P, wire 81, electromagnetic device 82, and wire 83back to the ground. Current flowing in'this circuitwillenergize the device 82 which in turn will attract its armature 84-. Movement of the latter effects change in the operation ofthe loom by well-known means. It is not deemed necessary herein to show the mode of control;,-inasmuch as several welldmown'devices are available which can produce either replenishment or loom stoppage bythe movement of an indicator corresponding to the element 84:.

In the conditions just described it is understood that the top arm-40 had no opportunity to engage contact 66, hence it wasincapablo of closing a circuit. This is a desirable condition because even though the upper box be exhausted under thecondition assumed, yet it is not desirable to effectreplenishment by a control exercised by the upper box when its inthe upper box moving the detector arm corresponding thereto into contacting-posh tionwith respect to element 66 and as the boxes complete the latter part of their clown.-

ward. shift, a circuit will be closed by the upper detector'so that current will flow as follows: ground G, upper detector finger 40, contact 66, wire 69, wire 80, battery or source of powerP, wire 81, solenoid or armature 82, wire83 back to the ground. Energizetion of this circuit will result in the mo e ment of armature 84 so that a change in theoperation of the loom will be brought about when the upper shuttle is brought into action.

' It is to be understood that eventhough the lower detector should indicate exhaustion it Wlll not be able to engage contact 71 because lar movement until after the detector of the box moving, to idle positionis inengaging position relatively to one or the other ofthe posts. If either detector should have an incomplete movement so that its forwardly projecting arm will be in vertical alignment with one or another of the posts, movement of the boxes will cause a yielding of the retainer due to theaction of the spring plunger 55, and after the strain is relieved the inclined faces 57 and 58, together with the spring 60, will act to return the retainers to normal position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided, means for retaining an indication of weft exhaustion which may be given by either feeler and make use of such an indication to complete a loom controllingthe circuit during the latter part of the shifting of the boxes, the circuit completed corresponding: to the shuttle which is next to be active. tacts onth'e posts are spaced, so that the detector which is inactive posit-ion will be free to return to normal position, hence, when the .exhausted shuttle is replenished and a fresh supply is picked back to the drop box end of the loom, the detector corresponding thereto can move away from'action without interference on the part of either of the posts.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing'from the spirit and scope.

of the invention and I do not wish to'be limited to the details herein disclosed, but

what I claim is:

1. In a box loom operating with a lay and 7 It will further be seen that the con- 7 then in idle position for two picks, an electrical weft detector for each box, the detector moving with the boxes as the latter shift, each detector capable of giving indication of weft exhaustion of the corresponding box when the boxes have completed approximately half their shifting movement, an electric circuit for each detector, an electromagnetic device common to the circuits and capable of caus ing a change in the operation of the loom, means operative during the latter part of the shifting movement of the boxes to retain the indicationof either dctector'and act to close the circuit of tie detector corresponding to the box moving into active position.

2. In a loom having a lay and two shifting shuttle boxes which shift every other pick of the loom relatively to active position when occupied by their shuttles, a weft detector for and shifting with each box, an electric circuit for each detector, a loom controlling electromagnetic device common to the circuits, each detector capable of indicating weft exhaustion when the boxes are partly shifted and capable when indicating weft exhaustion of closin the circuit corresponding thereto, and means to retain an indication given by the detector corresponding to the box moving into active position and close the circuit of such detector during the latter part of the shifting of the boxes. 3. In a loom having a lay and two shifting shuttle boxes which shift every other pick of the loom relatively to active position when occupied by their shuttles, a weft detector for and shifting with each box, an electric circuit for each detector, a loom controlling electromagnetic device common to the circuits, each detector capable of indicating weft exhaustion when the boxes are partly shifted and capable when indicating weft exhaustion of closing the circuit corresponding thereto, a retainer for each detector located to retain an indication of weft exhaustion given by the detector of a box moving toward active position, the detector of the other box moving away from its retainer, and means effective during tl e latter part of the shifting of the boxes to close the circuit correspondin to the box moving t I active position due to the retaining of the correspond in g detector in indicating position.

4. In a loom having a lay and two s ifting shuttle boxes which shift every other pick the loom relatively to active position when occupied by their shuttles, a weft detector for and shifting with each box, an electric circuit for each detector, a loom controlling electromagnetic device common to the circuits, each detector capable of indicating weft exhaustion when the boxes are partly shifted and capable when indicating weft exhaustion of closing the circuit correspond ing thereto, means to retain the indication of only one detector, the one corresponding to the box moving to active position, and means dependent upon retaining the indication to close the circuit corresponding to the box moving toward active position.

'5. In a loom having a lay and two shifting shuttle boxes which shift every other pick of the loom relatively to active position when occupied by their shuttles, a weft detector for and shifting with each box, an electric circuit for each detector, a loom controlling electromagnetic device common to the circuits, each detector capable of indicating weft exhaustion when the boxes are partly shifted and capable when indicating weft exhaustion of closing the circuit corresponding thereto, and means dependent upon the direction of shifting of the boxes to retain the indication of that detector corresponding to the box moving toward active position, and means operative during retention of the retained indication to close the circuit corresponding to the box moving toward active position.

6. In a loom having a lay and two shifting shuttle boxes which shift every other pick of the loom relatively to active position when occupied by their shuttles, a weft detector for shifting with each box, an electric circuit for each detector, a loom controlling electromagnetic device common to the circuits, each detector capable of indicating weft exhaustion when the boxes are partly shifted and capable when indicating weft exhaustion of closing the circuit corresponding thereto, and an indication retainer for each detector, said retainers being operative one only at a time, the operative one corresponding to the box moving into active position, the retainer being operative during the latter part of the shifting of the boxes.

7. In a loom having a lay and two shifting shuttle boxes which shift every other pick of the loom relatively to active position when occupied by their shuttles, a weft detector for and shifting each box, an electric circuit for each detector, a loom controlling electromagnetic device common to the circuits, each detector capable of indicating weft exhaustion when the boxes are partly shifted and capable when indicating weft exhaustion of closing the circuit corresponding thereto, and an indication retainer for each detector, each retainer being brought into cooperative relation with the corresponding detector when the latter has indicated weft exhaustion and during the second half of the shifting movement of the shuttle boxes.

8. In a loom having a lay and two shifting shuttle boxes which shift every other pick of the loom relatively to active position when occupied by their shuttles, a weft detector for and shifting with each box, an electric circuit for each detector, a loom controlling electromagnetic device common to the circuits, each detector capable of indicating weft exhanstion when the boxes are partly shifted and capable when indicating weft exhaustion of closing the circuit corresponding thereto, and selector means acting to prevent closure of either circuit until the boxes have completed more than half of their shifting movement, the selector coacting with movement of the boxes to render operative the cir cuit corresponding to the box moving toward active position.

9. In a loom having a lay and two shifting shuttle boxes which shift every other pick of the loom relatively to active position when occupied by their shuttles, a weft detector for and shifting with each box, an electriccircuit for each detector, a loom controlling; v V

' after saiddetector has had a complete indielectromagnetic device commontothe circuits, each detector capable of indicating weft exhaustion when the boxes are partly shifted and capable when indicating weft exhaustion of closing the circuit corresponding thereto, a pair of indication retainers each to hold the corresponding detector in weft exhaustion indicating position, said retainers having retaining relations alternately with respect to their corresponding detectors and dependent upon the direction of shifting of the boxes to determine which retainer shall be operativelyi related to its detector. v I

' 10. In aloom having a lay and two shifting shuttle boxes which shift every other pick of the loom relatively to active position when occupied by their shuttles, a weft detector for and shifting with each box, an electric circuit for each detector, a loom controlling electromagnetic device common to the circuits, each detector capable of indicating weft exhaustion when the boxes are partly shifted and capable when indicating weft exhaustion of closing the circuit correspondin g thereto, means dependent upon the direction of shifting of the boxes and operative during the latter part of the shiftingmovement to boxes to close the circuit correspond ing to the box next to become active when both detectors indicate weft exhaustion.

11. In a loom having a lay and two shiftin g shuttle boxes which shift every other pick .of the loom relatively to active position when occupied by their shuttles, a weft detector for and shifting with each box, an electric circuit for each detector, a loom controlling electromagnetic device common to the circui ts, each detector capable of indicating weft exhaustion during shifting of the boxes and capable when indicating weft exhaustion of closing the circuit corresponding thereto, means to retain the weft detector corresponding to the box moving to active position in indicating circuit closing position when weft ing shuttle boxesiwhich shift every other pick of the lbonrrelatively to active position when occupied by their shuttles, a' weft detector for and shifting with each box, an electric circuit for each detector, a loom controlling electromagnetic device common to the circuits, each detector capable of indicating weft exhaustion when the boxes are partly shifted and capable when indicating weft exhaustion of closing the circuit corresponding'thereto, means to coact with the detector corresponding to the box moving into action eating movement to hold said detector in indicating position to close the circuit corre-.

sponding thereto during the greater part of the remaining shifting movement of the boxes, the means releasing the detector near the end of the shifting movement.

l3. In a loom having a lay and two shifting shuttle boxes which shift'every other pick of the loom relatively to active position when occupied by their shuttles, a weft detector,

for and shifting with each box, an electric circuit for each detector, a loom controlling electromagnetic device common to the cir- Qbl cuits, each detector capable of indicating weft exhaustion when the boxes are partly shifted and capable when indicating weft exhaustion of closing the circuit corresponding thereto, and a pair of electrically separate contacts, one for each detector, said contacts positioned so that but one of them is electrically connected to its detector at a time d e pendent upon the direction of shift of the boxes, each contact operative during the lattcr part only of the shifting movementof the boxes when the corresponding detector indicates weft exhaustion.

14L In a loom having a lay and two shifting shuttle boxes whichshift every other pick of the loomrelatively to active position when occupied by their shuttles, a Weft detector for and shifting with each box, an electric circuit for each detector, a loom controlling electromagnetic device common to the circuits, each detector capable of indicating weft exhaustion when the boxes are partly shifted and capable when indicating Weft exhaustion of closing the circuit corresponding thereto, a pair of electrically insulated contacts located adjacent the shuttle box in active position, each contact to have electrical engagement with the corresponding detector when the latter indicates weft exhaustion, the detector of the box moving into active position being electrically relatable to the correspending contact if weft exhaustion exists ice in said box, and the detector of the box moving away from active position being out of operative relation With respect to the other contact. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

WALTER H. WAKEFIELD. 

